Responding to safeguarding concerns with iKnow Safeguarding

When concerns of harm or abuse are raised, how an organisation responds can make all the difference. It’s not only about protecting vulnerable individuals, but also about ensuring justice, support, and long-term safety for others. Your organisation might be the key link in freeing someone from abuse—and preventing further harm.

Those at risk need to know that if they speak up, they will be listened to and taken seriously. Your safeguarding policy should detail a thorough, robust and sensitive way of handling safeguarding concerns.

Here at Thirtyone:eight, we suggest responding to safeguarding concerns in five essential steps: Recognise, Respond, Record, Report, Reflect. 

iKnow Safeguarding can support with this process. iKnow Safeguarding is secure software that helps you to log concerns and manage disclosures, so they can be followed up and acted on appropriately. 

This blog will help you understand how to respond to safeguarding concerns and how iKnow can support you.

Recognise

The first step is to recognise that someone may be at risk. This typically happens in two ways: by observing signs of abuse or when a person makes a disclosure.

Recognising signs might include noticing changes in behaviour, physical injuries, or something someone says. A disclosure, on the other hand, is when a person shares their experience of abuse or asks for help directly.

Recognition is not about being certain—it’s about being aware. Volunteers and staff in your organisation should be equipped through regular safeguarding training to notice these signs and understand how to respond. 

With iKnow Safeguarding someone can easily and securely raise a concern using secure forms that can be added to your website or by scanning a QR code.

Respond

Once a concern has been recognised, it’s important to respond in a timely and appropriate way. The way you respond can have a lasting impact on the person making the disclosure, it requires sensitivity and care.

• Start by listening. If a person has made a disclosure, reassure them that they’ve done the right thing by speaking up and that their concerns will be taken seriously. Ensure their immediate safety and seek medical attention if needed. Never attempt to investigate the matter yourself.
• Ask open-ended questions like “You seem quiet today—would you like to talk?” It may encourage someone to share more, but if they choose not to, their decision must be respected.
• Avoid contacting parents/carers until after seeking advice from your safeguarding lead or statutory agency (especially in cases involving children).
• Never require someone to confront their abuser.
• Your safeguarding policy should clearly outline how to respond, including any activity-specific processes.

Record

When responding to a safeguarding concern, accurate and timely record-keeping is essential. It’s not your job to investigate what has happened. You just need to record what has been said to you in a clear way.

Ideally, you will make notes within an hour of having a conversation about a safeguarding concern. Remember to include:

• Date, time, and place.
• What was said or observed, and by whom.
• Context of the situation (e.g., what activity was taking place).
• Detailed descriptions of injuries or behaviour.
• Your response and any actions taken.

If you are quoting what has been said to you, use their words as much as possible. Try not to add your interpretation or opinion.

All records should be passed to the Safeguarding Lead promptly and stored securely. In serious cases, your notes may be used in court, so clarity and accuracy matter.

iKnow Safeguarding allows you to build up a chronological timeline of events that take place, including adding attachments relating to the concern.  Each entry is timestamped, showing which of your safeguarding team added the message.  Complete customisation of the module means that you can set the fields that you want to record. The software also allows you to assign concerns to a dedicated case worker and set up reminders and to-do lists to ensure tasks are followed through.

Report

Once concerns have been recorded, they must be reported to the right people. Your safeguarding policy should clearly define who to inform—and when.
Workers (volunteers or staff) should report concerns to the Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible. If urgent and the Lead is unavailable, report directly to police or social services.

The Safeguarding Lead has a wider responsibility:

• Liaise with social services or police early on.
• Follow procedures for reporting incidents involving workers.
• Notify the charity regulator or inspection bodies (like Ofsted or CQC) where appropriate.
• In cases of sexual abuse or online abuse, report to specialist agencies.

With iKnow Safeguarding you can record which organisations have been reported to and ensure that different types of concerns have a standard task list for follow ups and reporting requirements.

Reflect

After concerns have been addressed, take time to reflect. Not only is this important for the well-being of you and your team, it’s also a key to continuous improvement and ensuring your approach to safeguarding is effective.

Questions to consider in your reflection could include:

• Was the situation handled appropriately?
• Were policies followed?
• Do the policies need updating?
• Is more training required?
• What broader lessons can be learned?
• What support might any of the team involved need?

Final Thoughts

Safeguarding is a shared responsibility. Recognising the signs of abuse, responding sensitively, recording accurately, reporting to the right people, and reflecting on what happened forms a clear, compassionate framework for handling concerns well. And with iKnow Safeguarding you can be sure you’re your data is safe and all those involved are following correct procedures.